Latest Parking Rumor: Charging at Disney Springs (Unlikely)

[PhotoDave219]

The Governmental issues here lead me to think that this is just a rumor and unlikely to actually happen.

That being said? My guess is that someone in Celebration Place wanted to do this but then found out they legally can't. If they can find a way around it? Then all bets are off.

 

[drew81]

Good, good. Hopefully this rumor will die a quick death then.

With the way things are going nothing would surprise me.

 

[s8film40]

If they validate parking, unless the spend threshold was high, there would be very few people who wouldn't qualify for free parking. At least that's my guess. It would take so many resources to administer that it would hardly be worth it. If they don't validate, it would be like CityWalk for me ... a place that I don't visit that much.

I would think validation would be very complicated. You can't give preference to someone just because they're visiting or using a business. The only way I could see it working would be something where the merchant essentially pays for the parking for the customer.

 

[s8film40]

The Governmental issues here lead me to think that this is just a rumor and unlikely to actually happen.

That being said? My guess is that someone in Celebration Place wanted to do this but then found out they legally can't. If they can find a way around it? Then all bets are off.

The only benefit here for Disney would be to eliminate DS as an option to park for theme parks. The easier way to do this would be to add an entry gate at the bus transportation that requires magic bands linked to resort reservations.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I took a tour of the garage before it opened and was very specifically told that they could never charge for parking because of the way RCID funded it. It's a public garage funded with public money, there's a lot of obstacles for them to overcome if they limit public access to it. Not to mention this isn't Disney owned so it would be RCID charging and making money off it not Disney. RCID has plenty of money so I don't see the motivation for them.

Disneyland owns their garage, there's a big difference between a privately owned garage and one that's publicly owned. You really can't compare Disneyland. It would be more accurate to compare it to a city or county owned garage somewhere.

Mickey and Friends was built using public money by the City of Anaheim, who gets nothing from the parking fees Disney charges.

 

[s8film40]

Mickey and Friends was built using public money by the City of Anaheim, who gets nothing from the parking fees Disney charges.

But it was built and owned by Disney right?

The DS garage is completely government owned. RCID purchased the land from Disney, constructed the garage and will continue to own and operate the garage.

 

[TheGuyThatMakesSwords]

I post rarely....

Not totally related - but connected.

WDW has, and HAS had, a serious problem with DTD - Disney Springs. The area has, for years, represented "Free Park Parking". It's a great place - but people PARK there, grab buses to a Hotel (or walk over to Saratoga Springs) - and hit the parks.

I feel sorry for WDW - they have tried just about everything to stop this. Except one obvious thing.

They still have the right to deny Bus Transportation from DS to ANYONE not staying on property. Has anyone else noticed, that about a year ago, two little scanners got added to just about every bus entrance? I have no idea what those COULD be used for. They could just be junk. But WDW DOES have the technological ability to stop the free parking practice - irrespective of "charging for parking". They COULD simply implement Magic Band Scans on entrance to a bus. Yes, that WOULD be a burden for the bus operator.

I have no idea what WDW management will finally come up with - in the end, finding a solution to the "free parking" issue SHOULD fix the ever present "you can't get there from here" issue that DTD/DS has suffered from for YEARS. The idea of choking WDW transportation to and from DTD/DS just isn't going to cut it anymore..... not after the the MASSIVE amount of money WDW has invested into DTD/DS.

Just me - I guess these folks have been in a real dilemma, for YEARS. Now, they have spent serious money - and they STILL have a dilemma (augmented by big parking garages). Just me.... I would like to GO to DS, not struggle with choked busses, and see this issue go away.

 

[wdrive]

Downtown Disney in Anaheim gives 2 hours free parking then validation with a table service meal or movie ticket. If you're shopping for 3 hours it's $12 to park.

 

[Thelazer]

Speaking of tons of money spent, anyone else look at that recent map of DS, seeing ALL the spaces still empty / not marked with a name and think that A, currently it's only 32% leased and B, they will have to close down the West Side / Market Place and move all those stores over into DS's existing spots to fill them in the near future....

 

[s8film40]

Downtown Disney in Anaheim gives 2 hours free parking then validation with a table service meal or movie ticket. If you're shopping for 3 hours it's $12 to park.

I already mentioned it earlier but you can't really compare it to DTD in DL since Disney owns that parking. I also don't think they could get away with charging $12 as a public government.

 

[JoeCamel]

It was mentioned several times in this thread that Citywalk charges for parking. True during the day but if you can't find a way to bypass that after 4 pm you are just not trying. That allows your dining and entertainment to be parking fee free.

 

[TP2000]

They've been charging to park for extended periods at Downtown Disney Anaheim since it opened 15 years ago. The DTD valet parking for an extra six bucks plus five bucks to the boy who runs to get your car is the bargain of the century for Disneyland parking convenience, and I do that on almost every visit!

I imagine the WDW DTD parking charges would likely mirror the current parking charges in Anaheim:

First Two Hours Free
Additional Three Free Hours w/ Validation From AMC or any Table Service Restaurant
$12 Per Hour After First Two Free Hours or After Five Validated Hours

Most entertainment venues in mid to large cities charge for parking, why wouldn't Downtown Disney?

 

[dizda]

If they charge they'd be loosing out on a lot of day guests and locals wanting to pop in for a little Disney Magic without having to go to the parks. No one should have to pay to park at a shopping mall.

Some (but not many) malls charge for parking, but there is normally validation available or they give you the first couple hours free. The few that do charge tend to face special circumstances, such as being near a downtown area or sports arena, and need to discourage non-shoppers from parking. That sounds like DS, but DS now has much more parking available that it did not have to pay for directly and the non-shoppers parking at DS at least are spending money with Disney at the parks, so the situation at DS is different from a normal mall and from most malls that charge for parking. If the free parking by non-shoppers were that big of an issue for WDW, I think they would have started charging for parking before the new decks.

 

[JoeCamel]

Most entertainment venues in mid to large cities charge for parking, why wouldn't Downtown Disney?

I think you are conflating an entertainment venue with a shopping mall in this case.

 

[s8film40]

They've been charging to park for extended periods at Downtown Disney Anaheim since it opened 15 years ago. The DTD valet parking for an extra six bucks plus five bucks to the boy who runs to get your car is the bargain of the century for Disneyland parking convenience, and I do that on almost every visit!

I imagine the WDW DTD parking charges would likely mirror the current parking charges in Anaheim:

First Two Hours Free
Additional Three Free Hours w/ Validation From AMC or any Table Service Restaurant
$12 Per Hour After First Two Free Hours or After Five Validated Hours

Most entertainment venues in mid to large cities charge for parking, why wouldn't Downtown Disney?

The Disney Springs parking garage is not owned by Disney it is a government owned public parking garage. They can't operate at a profit, they're not a business.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The Disney Springs parking garage is not owned by Disney it is a government owned public parking garage. They can't operate at a profit, they're not a business.

There are no laws that stop governments from operating a garage at a profit. Nor would they be stopped from doing something like leasing the garages back to Disney for a pittance. The issue would be of popularity, not legality.

 

[dizda]

I already mentioned it earlier but you can't really compare it to DTD in DL since Disney owns that parking. I also don't think they could get away with charging $12 as a public government.

Even if RCID could and did start charging for DS parking, I doubt it would be a $12 charge for the first 3 hours either. However, that would not have to do with RCID being a unit of government. I know of public decks that charge much more. Operating costs and debt service are part of the pricing but so are location and lack of alternatives. Many governments treat parking as a money-making business.

 

[s8film40]

There are no laws that stop governments from operating a garage at a profit. Nor would they be stopped from doing something like leasing the garages back to Disney for a pittance. The issue would be of popularity, not legality.

Yeah that's true, of course in a government sense it's not really profit but rather a surplus. It's not like there's really a mechanism in place to get that money to Disney.

More importantly there's already a very small amount of the public that seems to think the state shouldn't have been shorted on the tax money from the almost $100 million project as a result of RCID building it rather than Disney. If they start charging for parking for profit I don't expect that would go over too well.

 

[saxamoophone]

It's complete legal for State of Florida governments to charge for parking, but as others have said, that money can't be given to Disney.

It could be used for additional parking structures, roadway improvements, security, mass transit, etc.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

I believe WDW is restructuring their entire Pay-to-Park structure. First, they extended free parking to all APs (which I believe would include DS if this happens) And are "experimenting" with Pay-to-Park at the resorts. So, I have no problem believing that this is being considered. As far as legalities, how it would be handled is RCID would lease it back to Disney, and Disney would charge the fee.

I would say a big part of this thinking, is crowd control. I would imagine this idea started gaining traction after the "active shooter" fiasco the other day.

And yes, CityWalk charges. But at 5pm, the fee drops to $3, and free to FL residents. They also have "complimentary" valet parking for the three signature restaurants in the hotels.